Archive for May, 2013

Allaah says: “Go, both of you, to Pharoah for he has indeed transgressed all bounds, but speak to him gently, so that perchance he will take heed or fear (Allaah).” [20:43]

In this verse Allaah addresses Prophet Moosaa (as) and tells him to speak to Pharoah in a gentle manner. And who was Pharoah? He was the biggest sinner, the most evil man at that time, the most arrogant oppressor.

My sisters, if a dispute breaks between you and your husband, then know that by you raising your voice when speaking to your husband, you r only increasing him in anger. And the more angry a man gets, the more harder it is for him to cool down.

Your husband, no matter how arrogant he may be, no matter how unjust he may be towards you, he is no where near as oppressive and arrogant as Pharoah. And yet Allaah ordered Moosaa to speak to Pharoah gently, i.e., with kindness.

My sisters, if a dispute breaks out between you and your husband then by you shouting back or giving him attitude, then you r doing nothing but digging a deeper black hole for yourself. If there is one main thing which makes a man really hate his wife, then it is such behaviour. As speaking in such a way will only increase your husband in nothing but anger, the more angry a man gets, the more harder it is for him to cool down.

If you truly wish to be treated in kindness then gentleness is the key. Repress evil with kindness and you will see that he in whose heart was enmity will turn to love. Repressing anger may be hard, but know that “No one humbles himself for the sake of Allaah, but Allaah will raise his status.” [Muslim]

And I end by reminding my sisters that shouting back, giving him attitude, being sarcastic etc., are all characteristics which will only increase your husband in anger. No good will come out of such behaviour and you will only be on the receiving end of an even more angrier husband. Such behaviour will make your husband reciprocate with harshness, rudeness and arrogance. It angers a man beyond limits; and the more angry a man gets, the more harder it is for him to cool down.

” ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee said to me, ‘What prevents you from declaring the Jahmiyyah to be disbelievers?‘ And at the beginning I had not used to declare them to be disbelievers. Then when ‘Alee (Ibn Al-Madeenee) consented to their saying in the trial (concerning the Quraan) I wrote to him reminding him of his saying to me, and I reminded him of Allaah.

Then later a man informed me about him that he had wept when he had read my letter. Then I later saw him and he said to me, ‘There is nothing in my heart of what I said with my tongue, (i.e. in response to the trial concerning the Quraan) and I responded because I feared that I whould be killed, and you are aware f my weakness, which is such that if I had been ashed a single time I would have died.‘ “

Al-Marroodhee said:

I heard a man from the people of the army say to Aboo ‘Abdullaah (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal);

“(‘Alee) Ibn Al-Madeenee sends the greeting of salaam to you.”

So he (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal) remained silent. So I said to Aboo ‘Abdulaah (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal):

” ‘Abbaas Al-‘Anbaree said to me that ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee mentioned a person and spoke against him, so ‘Abbaas Al-‘Anbaree said to ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee, ‘They will not accept your saying, rather they will only accept from Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.‘ So ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee said, ‘Ahmad was able to withstand lashes, whereas I could not withstand it.‘ “

Ibn ‘Ammaar also said, “He (‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee) did not consent out of belief in that, but merely through fear.“

Muhammad Ibn ‘Uthmaan said, “I heard ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee say two months before he died, ‘The Quraan is the speech of Allaah, uncreated, and whoever says that it is created is a disbeliever.“

Aboo Zur’ah abandoned narrating from ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee due to what occured from him during the trial, but Aboo Haatim used to narrate from him since ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee disassociated himself from what he had done (i.e. under stress). Aboo Haatim said, “ ‘Alee (Ibn Al-Madeenee) was a sign amongst he people with regards to knowledge of hadeeth and hidden defects of transmission (‘ilal).“

Adh-Dhahabee said, “Some people report from ‘Abdullaah Ibn Ahmad (Ibn Hanbal) that his father (Imaam Ahmad) withheld from narrating from ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madenee, but I do not see that. Rather ahaadeeth are reported from him in his Musnad, and there are a great number of ahaadeeth from him in Saheeh Bukhaaree.“

Adh-dhahabee said, “He excelled in this field, and compiled and gathered, and surpassed the memorisers in knowledge of hidden defects in transmission (‘ilal), and it is said that he wrote two hundred works.“

Aboo Haatim Ar-Raazee said, “Ibn Al-Madeenee was a sign amongst the people in his knowledge of hadeeth and hidden defects in transmission (‘ilal), and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal had not used to call him by his name, but rather use his kunyaa out of respect for him.I have never heard Ahmad use his name.”

Saalih Ibn Muhammad (Jazarah) said, “The most knowledgeable of those I met with regards to hadeeth and their hidden defects in transmission (‘ilal) was ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeene.“

Ibn Mahdee said, “ ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee is the most knowledgeable of the people of the hadeeth of Allaah’s Messenger (saw), and of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Uyahnah (his teacher) in particular.“

His Teachers’ Respect For Him:

Khalaf Ibn Al-Waleed Al-Jawhare said, “Ibn Uyahnah (i.e. Ibn Al-Madenee’s teacher) came out to us one day when ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee was with is, so he said, ‘If it were not for the presence of ‘Alee (ibn Al-Madeenee) I would not come out to you.’ “

Yahyaa Ibn Sa’eed Al-Qattaan (one of his teachers) said, “The people criticise me for sitting to study under ‘Alee (Ibn Al-Madeenee), but I learn from him more than he learns from me.“

His Greatness:

Imaam Bukhaaree said, “I have not held myself to be slight in the presence of anyone, except with ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee.“

Aboo Yahyaa Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmaan said, “When ‘Alee (Ibn Al-Madeenee) came to Baghdaad, he would be at the head of the gathering.(Yahyaa) Ibn Ma’een, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and Al-Mu’aytee came, and the people were watching. So if they differed about anything it was ‘Alee (Ibn Al-Madeenee) who spoke.“

Yahyaa Ibn Ma’een said, “When ‘Alee Ibn Al-Madeenee came to us he would make the Sunnah apparent.”

‘Alee Ibn A-Madeenee said, “Attaining knowledge of the meaning of the ahaadeeth is half of knowledge, and knowledge of the narrators is half of the knowledge.“

“As for that which is done in our day, by way of the [blameworthy] innovations [bidah] of the Sufi mystics in their addition to hearing songs to the accompaniment of melodious instruments such as flutes, string instruments, etc., such is haraam [forbidden].”

“A scholar is recognise by his perseverance his taqwaa and his fear of Allaah, striving to what Allaah has made obligatory and keeping well away from what Allaah and His Messenger (saw) have forbidden.

These are the characteristics of a scholar, whether he is a teacher, a judge, a daa’eeyah, or holds any other position. He is obligated to be an example and a model in righteousness; he acts upon his knowledge; has taqwaa of Allaah wherever he may be; and he guides the people to good.

He is a good example for his students, members of his family, neighbours and other who know him.”

[Al-‘Ilm Wa Akhlaaqu Ahlih [Knowledge And The Characteristic Of Its People], By Bin Baaz, p. 20]

Al-Awzaa’ee said, “It used to be said that there were five things that the companions of Muhammad (saw) and those who followed them in goodness were upon: (1) sticking to the jamaa’ah, (2) following the sunnah, (3) maintaining the masjids, (4) reciting the Quraan, and (5) making jihaad in Allaah’s cause.” [Hilyah, 8/142]

‘Ubaydullaah Ibn Waasil said, “I heard Ahmad As-Sirmaaree saying once after he pulled out his sword, ‘Know for sure, I have killed 1000 Turks (from the disbelievers) with this sword and if it wasn’t for my fear of it being an act of innovation, I would order for it to be buried with me.” [As-Siyar, 13/39]

Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad said, “Follow the paths of guidance and be harmed not by the small number of those who are guided. Beware of the paths of misguidance and don’t be deceived by the great number of those who are in ruin.” [Al-‘Itisaam, p.62]

Sufyaan Ath-Thawree said, “Treat the people of the sunnah kindly, for indeed they are strangers.” [Sharh Usool ‘Itiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah, 2/64]

Sufyaan Ath-Thawree also said, “If one man is in the east and another in the west, and they are both from the people of the sunnah, then send them the salaams and make du’aa for them. How few are the people of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah.” [Sharh Usool ‘Itiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah, 2/64]

‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abee Az-Zinaad said, “A man was not considered a real man until he knew the sunnah.” [Al-Hilyah, 2/184]

Ayoob As-Sakhtiyaanee said, “Indeed the death of a man from the people of the sunnah reaches me and I feel as if I have lost one of my limbs.” [Al-Hilyah, 3/9]

Ibn Mubaarak said, “Beware of sitting with a person of innovation.” [As-Siyar, 8/411]

Aboo Qilaabah said, “Do not sit with the people of desires (i.e. the people of innovation), nor debate with them, for indeed, I don’t feel safe that they won’t drench you in their misguidance and confuse you with regards to that which you used to know.” [Ash-Shu’ab, 7/60]